


Breaking the Ice

by birdlight



Series: The Starting Line [8]
Category: Captain America (Movies), The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Genre: Complete, Kittens, M/M, One Shot, POV Sam Wilson, Sam/Bucky - Freeform, Serious to fluff, Slow Burn, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:47:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21709198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/birdlight/pseuds/birdlight
Summary: Sam and Bucky are trying to keep it professional but something upsets the balance. It involves kittens.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson
Series: The Starting Line [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1491617
Comments: 4
Kudos: 72





	Breaking the Ice

Sam drew his hand back from the locked handle and considered kicking in the door when Bucky reached around him and crushed the knob. With a superficial touch from his metal index finger, it swung open. A blast of air told them there was an open window inside reinforcing what they suspected. The apartment was unoccupied.

“Hear anything?” Sam asked.

Bucky shook his head and pulled up his handgun. “Nothng that sounds like a human being. We knew this was a long shot, coming here. He had plenty of warning.”

“Let’s investigate,” Sam said. Bucky kept his eyes straight ahead, moving in first, his firearm in position. They had barely spoken to each other since this mission began, opting to keep it professional. They hadn’t been bantering as often as they used to, and Sam missed it, but he stood by his decision. Things were getting too familiar between them, even Agent Carter had noticed. He let his mind wander for half a minute, wondering where things would stand if they weren’t who they were, doing this job, but he couldn’t go there. They had responsibilities. 

The furnishings were sparse. A couch, a few chairs, and a dining room table. Bucky stood in the heart of the wide living space, while Sam checked out the other areas. Even though it was a cheap rental, someone took the effort to keep it clean, going to the trouble of sweeping the floor and scrubbing the bathroom and kitchen. He discovered the open window in one bedroom. The alley below was empty. He considered a quick flyover of the neighborhood but sent Redwing out instead. It returned a minute later with no new information.

Returning to the main room, he encountered Bucky still in the middle of the room, his firearm put away in its holster. He continued twisting his head from side to side as if struggling to listen.

“You okay?” Sam asked as he checked out the refrigerator and noticed nothing but convenience food. “You’re not picking up on a ticking bomb or anything are you?”

Bucky turned to smile at him, but caught himself and glanced away. “I was thinking how this reminded me of my place in Bucharest,” he responded. “Surviving on the edge, keeping to myself, until…”

“Things went to hell?” Sam asked, then regretted his words. How many years had passed since he and Steve traveled to Romania, intent on getting to Bucky before the strike unit, desperate to save everyone? The day they met T’Challa…

Bucky turned back to face at him, his expression thoughtful, their eyes locking. “Until you and Steve came and saved my life,” he said. They experienced a moment, then Bucky’s face altered into a familiar expression. They had been working together long enough for Sam to recognize it. Bucky’s enhanced senses were picking up on something. Normally his partner could pinpoint the source but this time his reactions were off as if he couldn’t process what he was hearing. 

"You’re making me nervous,” Sam said. “You certain it’s not a bomb?"

Bucky didn’t respond but stepped over to the couch and dragged it away from the wall in one easy moment. Sam sucked in his breath and held up the Shield, expecting someone to come out fighting. A moment passed while Bucky stared at whatever was behind there, then Sam could hear small soft sounds.

“Well, hello there,” Bucky said. He knelt down, reached for something out of sight, and when he stood up, he was holding a small gray kitten. Down at his feet, another one appeared by his boots. 

Sam laughed to himself and replaced the Shield on the back of his uniform. “Kittens? Really? In this den of iniquity?”

“Who said a bad guy couldn’t love something,” Bucky said, picking up the second kitten. Their tiny voices grew louder.

“Well, there’s nothing for us here,” Sam said. “Let’s call animal control and…”

“NO!” Bucky said.

His tone took Sam by surprise. “You can’t think... we can’t…”

“Why not? We have a nice place, we can afford it…”

“Come on Bucky. We can’t keep them. They’re little and cute, they’ll find a home.”

“Yeah, with me. You do what you want. I’m keeping them.” He held them up to give them a quick inspection. Their meows grew louder, then he allowed them to crawl up his arm. 

“You know they won't stay like that forever? They’re going to grow up and turn into cold indifferent aliens. Cats are going to... cat.”

Bucky didn’t answer, opting to walk back out into the hallway, carrying his small burdens.

“They’ll need stuff, you know!” Sam called after him.

“I know what they need,” Bucky replied. One crawled up on Bucky’s shoulder, and pawed at his hair, stopping long enough to look Sam in the eyes. “I never took you for a cat hater!”

“I don’t hate them!” Sam said. The kitten continued to stare, and he had to admit, it was cute. “I just think it would be... irresponsible! Our lifestyle…”

“You’re starting to sound like Steve.”

“Well, one of us has to!” Sam said, muttering to himself as he followed him back out in the hallway. No criminal mastermind unnerved him more than the tiny eyes staring back at him. This was crazy, but at least they were talking about something other than work.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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